Apparatus and method for retracting the magnetic head to a home position after a predetermined time period

Abstract

An information processing apparatus includes a hard disk drive including a disk configured to store data therein and a head configured to access the disk and a control unit. The control unit causes the head to be retracted to a home position after a predetermined time period, based on an operation mode, has passed after performing control to cause the head to access the disk.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An information processing apparatus comprising:
 a hard disk drive including a disk configured to store data therein and a head configured to access the disk; and 
 a control unit configured to cause the head to move to a home position from the disk in accordance with a lapse of a predetermined time period in a state of no access to the hard disk drive after the head moved onto the disk, 
 wherein the predetermined time period in a second mode, in which the information processing apparatus is unable to execute a job, is shorter than the predetermined time period in a first mode, in which the information processing apparatus is able to execute a job. 
 
     
     
       2. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the first mode, power is supplied to all elements of the information processing apparatus, and wherein, in the second mode, power is supplied to less than all elements of the information processing apparatus. 
 
     
     
       3. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the job executed by the information processing apparatus is a print job. 
     
     
       4. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the first mode is a job mode in which the information processing apparatus executes a job or is a standby mode in which the information processing apparatus waits to execute a job, and 
 wherein the second mode is a sleep mode in which only a communication unit for external communication and a main controller operate. 
 
     
     
       5. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the predetermined time period in the standby mode is shorter than the predetermined time period in the job mode. 
     
     
       6. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the job executed by the information processing apparatus is a print job. 
     
     
       7. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control unit performs control to cause the head to move to the home position in accordance with a lapse of a first predetermined time period after performing control to cause the head to read out a first application from the disk, 
 wherein the control unit performs control to cause the head to move to the home position after a second predetermined time period has passed after performing control to cause the head to read out a second application from the disk, and 
 wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are different from each other. 
 
     
     
       8. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the predetermined time period is different based on whether the operation unit is being operated or whether access is executed within a time period based on a threshold value since a last operation. 
     
     
       9. The information processing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the control unit performs control to regularly cause the head to read out the application from the disk. 
     
     
       10. A method for controlling an information processing apparatus including a hard disk drive including a disk configured to store data therein and a head configured to access the disk, and a control unit, the method comprising:
 causing the head to move to a home position from the disk in accordance with a lapse of a predetermined time period in a state of no access to the hard disk drive after the head moved onto the disk,
 wherein the predetermined time period in a second mode, in which the information processing apparatus is unable to execute a job, is shorter than the predetermined time period in a first mode, in which the information processing apparatus is able to execute a job. 
 
 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein, in the first mode, power is supplied to all elements of the information processing apparatus, and wherein, in the second mode, power is supplied to less than all elements of the information processing apparatus. 
 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 10 , wherein the job executed by the information processing apparatus is a print job. 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the first mode is a job mode in which the information processing apparatus executes a job or is a standby mode in which the information processing apparatus waits to execute a job, and 
 wherein the second mode is a sleep mode in which only a communication unit for external communication and a main controller operate. 
 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the predetermined time period in the standby mode is shorter than the predetermined time period in the job mode. 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the job executed by the information processing apparatus is a print job. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein, in accordance with a lapse of a first predetermined time period after the head reads out a first application from the disk, the head is moved to the home position, 
 wherein, after a second predetermined time period has passed after the head reads out a second application from the disk, the head is moved to the home position, and 
 wherein the first predetermined time period and the second predetermined time period are different from each other.